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Newberry Books

Newberry Award

2018 Medal Winner

Hello, Universe, written by Erin Entrada Kelly, published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Filipino folklore and real life converge at the bottom of a well. Even while following signs and portents, the characters are the definition of creative agency. Masterfully told through shifting points of view, this modern quest tale shimmers with humor and authentic emotion.

“This reading community celebrates the panoply of American literature for children published in 2017. We are delighted to share our selections with the world,” said Newbery Medal Committee Chair Cecilia P. McGowan.

2018 Honor Books

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, written by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James, and published by Bolden, an Agate Imprint, a Denene Millner Book

A boy walks into a barbershop; a prince walks out. Through lyrical free verse, Derrick Barnes’joyous paean celebrates the universal, transformative, confidence-building experience of a great haircut.

Long Way Down, written by Jason Reynolds and published by Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, a Caitlyn Dlouhy Book

Terse, sharp verse depicts a desperate teenager seeking to avenge the shooting death of his brother. Gun tucked into his waistband, he is shocked by the appearance of childhood friends and relatives on a chilling sixty-second elevator ride. Visceral language and raw emotion result in a powerful novel of grief and vengeance.

Piecing Me Together, written by Renée Watson and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

“I am learning to speak. To give myself a way out. A way in.” Jade’s mixed media collages evolve as she finds her voice. Through artful and poetic language, Watson explores themes of race, class, gender and body image in this dynamic journey.